Summer is here, and with the rising temperatures, dehydration is a common concern. Ensuring your child gets the water they need is crucial for their health and well-being. Here are some practical tips and guidelines to help keep your little one properly hydrated all year round.
How much should my child drink?
In the UK, the general guidance for children’s daily fluid intake varies based on their age. Here’s a breakdown of the recommended daily fluid intake for children:
- 1-3 years old: Approximately 1.3 litres (about 4-5 cups)
- 4-8 years old: Approximately 1.6 litres (about 5-6 cups)
- 9-13 years old (girls): Approximately 1.9 litres (about 6-7 cups)
- 9-13 years old (boys): Approximately 2.1 litres (about 7-8 cups)
- 14-18 years old (girls): Approximately 2.0 litres (about 7 cups)
- 14-18 years old (boys): Approximately 2.5 litres (about 8-9 cups)
Water is the best drink.
How can I tell if my child is drinking enough?
Put 1 litre of water into a bottle. As you go about your day, pour your child’s drinking water from that bottle (or take out the equivalent amount from the bottle that they drink) so at the end of the day, you will have a good idea of whether they are near the target or not.
You can also check our wee checker to see what your child’s wee is telling you.
What if my child isn’t drinking enough?
Drinking enough water is important for overall mental and physical health. It is even more important if your child is constipated or being treated with laxatives. When working to increase your child’s fluid intake, it’s better not to go in all guns blazing on day 1, as this could be overwhelming. Instead, try and gradually increase fluid intake over the course of 1-2 weeks, so they can adapt at a gentle pace.
Will drinking more water mean wetting accidents?
If your child has regular wetting accidents, it’s probably a sign they need to drink more, not less, water. The bladder is a muscle and needs regular filling and emptying to work properly, so if it’s not passing enough urine, the muscles can become weak and cause wetting accidents. If your child needs to drink more, at first this may mean you get more accidents, but over time this will improve as the bladder gains strength.
Our top 5 tips:
- Drink at regular times in the day, e.g. meals, snack-time and after exercise. This makes it part of the everyday routine.
- Drink more at the start of the day and taper down towards the end of the day to help promote night time dryness.
- Start with a small cup and encourage them to finish it. Gradually increase the size of the cup.
- Put lines or markers on the glass or bottle to help your child meet drinking goals during the day.
- Make the drink interesting with fruit slices, cucumber, mint leaves, lemon curls, silly straws, ice cubes or coloured ice cubes etc.
Download more tips and games to make drinking water fun.
Do you want more support with potty learning? Listen to the Go Potty™ Podcast!
Nurse Rebecca Mottram is an advocate for Baby Pottying and a potty training expert. She is the author of two books; The Baby Pottying Guide and Positively Potty, the host of the Go Potty Podcast and founder of the Little Bunny Bear shop. If you are trying to resolve a potty problem, you can explore Rebecca’s free resources, join her Facebook group or request a private consultation.